Midseason report: Texas A&M

The 2013 season has been far from perfect so far for Texas A&M, but overall, it has still been pretty good.

Despite some of the injuries, defensive struggles, early-season attention (both positive and negative), sitting at 5-1 and No. 7 in the country is a pretty good place to be.

Many preseason questions have been answered. Will quarterback Johnny Manziel's offseason affect his play or affect the team? The answer is a resounding "no," and Manziel has been arguably the best player in college football through the first half of the season.

How will the Aggies' offense run with a new offensive coordinator, Clarence McKinney? So far, pretty smoothly. The Aggies haven't missed a beat in the transition from former offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury to McKinney as the playcaller. They're No. 3 in the nation in total offense, No. 4 in scoring offense and No. 2 in the all-important third-down conversion category. Mike Evans has emerged as one of the nation's best receivers and the running game has been strong.

Will the defense come along quickly? This one hasn't netted a positive answer. The Aggies have been one of the worst defensive teams in the country statistically, ranking 113th in yards allowed per game (474.3) and 104th against the run, though they have been middle of the pack on third downs (72nd). Youth, inexperience and ever-shifting personnel have made the job a challenging one in Year 2 for defensive coordinator Mark Snyder after an impressive first year in Aggieland when the Aggies' D outperformed expectations and operated with limited depth in 2012.

That being said, the Aggies have still won and lost only to the No. 1 team in the country, Alabama, by seven points. Certainly, they'd like to be undefeated, but if they continue to win in the second half of the season, a bright outlook lay ahead for Texas A&M.

Offensive MVP: Johnny ManzielAnybody wondering if Manziel would have a "sophomore slump" or that his eventful offseason would affect him can forget about it. The 2012 Heisman Trophy winner has looked even better this season, completing 73.2 percent of his passes for 1,835 yards and 14 touchdowns while rushing for 438 yards and five scores. He's focused on passing more, but is still as dangerous as ever with his feet and delivers in the clutch.

Defensive MVP: Deshazor EverettIf Everett could play every position on defense, you'd have to think the Aggies would utilize him as such. As it is, he has been terrific at both cornerback and safety, playing the first five games with a cast from a broken thumb suffered in preseason camp. He has 33 tackles, two tackles for loss, two interceptions, two pass breakups, a fumble recovery and two defensive touchdowns.